Trails of a Tear
by kcsecretgarden
Summary: After one seemingly ordinary morning Iruka is awakened to the real Kakashi. After that the two are consistently thrown together because of crazy random happenstance. Lemons ahoy as well as yaoi.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello, children! Welcome to my newest fanfic, Trails of a Tear. This is my second legitimate story that I've written, so I hope it's not too bad X) Reviews are always welcome whether good or bad, in fact they are encouraged! Enjoy!**

**Warnings: Nothing scandalous in this chapter, after all we're just starting out. In fact there's not going to be much citrus for a while, I'd like to make things happen at a normal pace. I think Kakashi and Iruka need a bit of time to get used to the idea before jumping into bed with each other…but it shall happen eventually! For now, enjoy the pre-yaoi goodness :)**

**Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me. I simply manipulate its characters to do my sinister bidding. Muahaha…**

Chapter 1

"Iruka, for the hundredth time, Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke are my subordinates now and it is my decision whether to enroll them in the Chunin exams. I appreciate your concerns, but they are not going to influence my choice."

"But – "

"That's the end of it. Now if you don't mind, I have some important business to attend to." And with that Kakashi vanished into a puff of smoke.

"Probably going off to read your porn," I muttered angrily, kicking at a rock on the street before me. "The jerk, thinking he's all that just because he's a Jounin." I heaved a great sigh, resigning myself and heading back to my apartment. With stacks upon stacks of papers to grade my bad day only held the promise of getting worse. _How could he do this to them?_ I wondered for the thousandth time, _They're just kids and the Chunin Exams are positively brutal. Nothing good will come of this, they could even…_I squashed that thought immediately, not allowing myself to even think the word. No. They were promising students, I had to believe in them. _Even if one is a hyperactive knucklehead, one is a genius who as good as he is thinks he's better than is realistic, and the other is a girl who squeals if a bug crawls across her desk and is too wrapped up with puppy love to care about her future._ Another sigh. _Way to be supportive and optimistic of your past students, Iruka._

Yawning, I stuck my key into the lock and turned, pushing my door open only to be all but attacked as I stepped inside.

"Iruka!" Someone blurred before me and I felt a vice like grip tighten around my waist as someone threw their arms around me. My breath wheezed out and it took me a moment to recover. _Yeah, some ninja reflexes you have._ However there was only one person it was likely to be.

"Anko," I greeted the purple haired woman tiredly, "What are you doing in my apartment?"

"Waiting for you, silly!" She grinned brightly, pulling away, "What else would I be doing?" _Oh, I don't know, stalking me?_ Lately Anko seemed to have developed a bit of a thing for me. Well, that was putting it mildly. Anko had developed a major thing for me and wasn't afraid of making it known. In fact she'd been quite aggressive about it, having already asked me out on several dates. I'd accepted the last couple out of pure politeness and unfortunately she'd taken things the wrong way. A couple nights that from anyone's standpoint would have been viewed as platonic and friendly had resulted in her belief that we were only a step away from being officially together. She'd even been spreading the nonsense around.

"You didn't have to break into my apartment in order to see me," I stated, my normal manners a bit worn after the day's events.

"Well I also wanted to see what it's like where you live," she shrugged happily, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"Right," I said, restraining myself from putting a hand to my newly throbbing temple, "Of course."

"Now I was expecting to come here and say your place needs a feminine touch, but it looks like you've got that all taken care of, little dolphin." She continued obliviously and I wince at the nickname I despised wholeheartedly.

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh, come on," she snorted, "This place hardly looks like your typical bachelor's pad." The apartment entered into my living room and I looked around at the cushy, light blue couch, the glass coffee table, the plants taking up a couple of corners and the rocking chair that had belonged to my grandmother. A few paintings hung on the wall, but all I could see was an apartment styled to my taste; there was nothing distinctly feminine about it.

"I don't know what you mean," I frowned.

"Well for starters, your place is spotless! No single straight man has an apartment _this _clean."

I felt the blood rise to my face. "Are you suggesting – "

"Calm down, 'Ruka," she waved a hand at me, "I know you're plenty straight. Otherwise I'd have to give up, and that's not something I do easily," she winked.

I bit my lip to keep from snarling and counted to ten silently. "Can I offer you something to drink?" I inquired, letting the hospitable side of me that my parents had drilled into my skull when I was young take over.

"Do you have any sake?"

I blinked. "Anko, it's barely four o'clock."

She grinned. "So? It's never too early for a nice glass of sake."

The throbbing in my temples increased to an all over ache. "I'm afraid all I have is tea and milk. There might be some juice in there as well."

"Alright, I'll take some tea." Despite her avid interest in me and my growing desire to spend some time alone with a hot cup of tea and the papers I had to grade, Anko wasn't actually that bad of company. She was spirited and intelligent, not to mention beautiful, and there was really no reason I shouldn't be equally interested in her. There were certainly plenty of other men my age that were, I should have considered myself lucky. However, I didn't find myself in the least bit attracted to her. After all, dating wasn't exactly the first thing on my mind. The whole grow up, find a soul mate, have kids thing just wasn't appealing to me; especially since I could at any day be killed and leave those kids in the exact situation my parents left me. I shuddered at the thought of leaving another child to grow up with such pain.

"Iruka? Dolphin, are you listening to me?" I snapped out of the daze I hadn't noticed I'd fallen into.

"What? Sorry, I got distracted…"

"Obviously," she rolled her eyes. "What are you thinking so hard about? Could I possibly hope it's me?" Her smile turned mischievous and I felt a slight blush color my cheeks at her obvious implications.

"Ah, actually I was just remembering how many papers I have to grade. You see I had the kids write an essay about the difference between a simple cloning jutsu and the shadow clone jutsu, analyze and compare difficulty levels and techniques and – "

"I'm gonna stop you right there, 'Ruka," she laughed, holding a hand up, "I didn't know you had so much on your plate, I'll leave you to it."

"Oh, you don't have to go." _Please. Please go._

"I insist. I wouldn't want to distract you from your job." She got up and headed towards the door. "But I'll be seeing you," she said sinisterly before disappearing. I allowed myself to indulge in a small smile. One sure way to get rid of Anko was to bring up anything academic related. She'd hated the academy enough while she was in it she had no desire to hear about it now that she was done. It made her attraction to me, a teacher, a bit ironic actually.

I stood, stretching, and went to make myself a piping mug of green tea, grabbing my school bag and settling down on the couch to grade, carefully making sure I had a coaster for my mug of course. I winced immediately as I pulled out the first essay. The author: Konohamaru. Sighing, I prepared myself for a long night.

12345678987654321

The first rays of the sun woke me that morning instead of my alarm and I yawned and stretched blissfully, wiping a bit of drool off my face. _It's probably a good thing I don't have a girlfriend,_ I thought as I did so, _Or this would be horribly embarrassing in the morning._ Pleasantly surprised, I noticed that I had actually gotten all my grading done the previous night and hadn't even drooled on the essay before me. Always an early riser with no hope of going back to sleep for the couple hours I had remaining before school I put the papers away and took my now cool mug back into the kitchen to wash. Half an hour later I was freshly showered and dressed with nothing to do. That was when I noticed the knot of tension in my neck and winced as I tried to stretch it out. The idea came to me immediately, realizing exactly what I did when I was stressed. Of course I usually went at night when I could bring flowers, but I'm sure my parents would appreciate the visit even if I didn't bear gifts.

The day promised to be a hot one, the air already warm as I made my way through the quiet town, the only people out and about being a few sparse shop owners preparing to open up for the day. My favorite bakery was already wafting delicious smells from its windows and door and my stomach rumbled. If I hadn't already promised Naruto I'd take him to Ichiraku that night I would stop and treat myself on the way back, but unfortunately I was living off a teacher's salary. The forest around the clearing where the memorial stood was quiet and serene as usual and I was about to approach the purple stone when I paused, noticing a figure was already there before me.

I could see his face from where I stood but I didn't need to; the hair was identifiable enough on its own and I clenched my teeth in annoyance. _Brilliant. Kakashi. Just what I need first thing in the morning._ It wasn't surprising to see him there, most every shinobi in the village had lost someone they cared about in action. The few who hadn't were incredibly few and far between, as well as extremely lucky. I didn't know Kakashi's story, but I assumed it was similar to everyone else's. As much as I disliked the guy, though, he deserved his time at the memorial undisturbed as everyone else did. I stood silently, ensuring that I went unseen. After a while my legs began to get tired but Kakashi hadn't moved a muscle.

As the time neared when I was supposed to be at school I was about to approach, Kakashi or no Kakashi, but then I saw it: a lone tear trickled down the visible side of his face and I gasped in shock. _Kakashi? The great copy ninja? Crying?_ Suddenly that face snapped towards me and next time I blinked there was a warm presence behind me.

"You tell no one," Kakashi's voice hissed in my ear, and then he was gone.

Severely shaken, I made my way to the memorial. Certainly I hated the man currently for allowing my dear students to participate in something so dangerous as the Chunin Exams, but even I couldn't help but feel a lurch of pity for the man. Of course if I ever said that out loud he'd kill me without a second thought, but still. Now I knew the great Kakashi could feel like any other.

**And chapter one is finished! Reviews do make me a very happy girl, so don't hold back! Bye now!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Bonjour, les enfants! Happy Friday! Thank you so much for the reviews, two on chapter one is a new record! Woo!**

**Jenibara-sensei – thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed it! I appreciate the review:)**

**Fearth – thank you! Yes, I quite like writing from Iruka's perspective and coming up with things he would think and stuff since you don't get much of that in the show. And uh oh! I hope I didn't scare you too bad haha that wasn't my intention! Thank you for your review as well!**

**Warnings: Nothing really for this chapter, aside from mild swearing…and by that I mean like one or two words I think so hopefully it doesn't bother anyone…I already have plenty of ideas for the citrusy bits, however, so hopefully I'll be able to fit those in soon…hehehe(:**

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately Naruto does not belong to me. It belongs to the genius who created it. Boo.**

Chapter 2

"Hey, mom. Dad. I hope you guys are doing well. I know I say this every time, but I miss you. Every day. There's not one morning that I don't wake up and think of you and it hurts. Bad. But I'm getting by okay." I paused, squinting up at the sky and the newly risen sun. "Teaching is going well. I like to feel like I'm doing something beneficial for the future legions of Leaf shinobi. Of course there are still students that are a handful, but that's nothing new. At least I have the comfort of knowing they'll never be as bad as Naruto." I chuckled lightly. "It's a real shame you never got the chance to meet him. I feel like you would love him in the same way I do, that he could be the grandson you never had. Because I really do see him as my son in a way. It doesn't even bother me anymore that he has the Nine-Tails inside him, especially since that night with Mizuki…I know it's not Naruto himself, simply the beast inside him that did this to you.

I'm afraid I don't really have anything new to report in the romance department. I know that by now you'd hoped I'd at least be in love, if not settled down with a respectable woman and a kid on the way. You always said that a family was the best thing that ever happened to the two of you and you would never want me to miss out on that. I suppose you'd probably like Anko, the girl's got personality, I'll give her that. It's just sometimes I feel like I have too much baggage for a real relationship, I feel like any other shinobi would as well. We've all seen such things, done things…it's hard to even love yourself afterwards, much less think about loving another person." I sighed. "But I suppose I'll keep trying, for your sake. I think I'd best get going now, though, I'm sorry I couldn't stay longer. Blame Kakashi for that one, and my job. But it was nice to talk to you at least for a while." I put a fond hand on the large purple stone before me, running a finger over where I saw my parent's names inscribed. "I'll visit again soon, I promise."

It was always hard to leave. Standing there before the memorial I could almost imagine my parents beside me, that the warmth of the sun on my back was in fact the warmth of their comforting hands, guiding and helping me. _Ah, well,_ I thought, taking a deep breath, _I'm already almost late as it is, if I miss the beginning of class the kids will run positively wild…Konohamaru will probably lead them out the window and on another 'mission' around the city…_I shuddered at the memory of the last time it had happened. Total chaos.

I hummed a nameless tune as I made my way down the streets towards the academy, brightly waving hello to Ino as she went about setting up flower displays in the window of her family's shop. Various parents of current or past students passed me on their way to work or the market and I greeted them congenially, my day already looking to be a bright one.

"Alright, class, settle down," I was forced to speak louder than usual over the ruckus of the class but they still ignored me, carrying on with their conversations or throwing paper birds at one another to see whose could go the farthest. "Hey!" I shouted, much louder this time, "Quiet down!" The fact that I rarely raised my voice to a yell brought them to attention enough that I could address the class. "Now," I continued, "Today we are going to be learning the proper technique of throwing shuriken

"But Iruka-sensei," Konohamaru whined from his seat, "We already know how to throw shuriken."

"Of course you do. But can you throw them in a way that you're assured to hit your target ten out of ten times? I didn't think so. So, to shake things up, we're going to be having a guest Jounin come in and help instruct you." That instigated excited mutterings amongst the class.

"Who is it, Iruka-sensei?" A girl in the front row asked and I shrugged.

"I don't know any more than you do, Emi. I just found out about it yesterday, they haven't told me anything."

"I hope it's Asuma-sensei!" One boy exclaimed, "He's so cool!"

"Or Kurenai-sensei," Moegi said, "She's so pretty, I want to be a kunoichi just like her!"

I smiled brightly, my heart warmed at their enthusiasm.

"No, Moegi!" Konohamaru disagreed, "I want it to be Kakashi-sensei! That's big brother's teacher!" I couldn't help but wince at that. _Oh, please. Anyone but Kakashi._

"Ooh, yeah!" Emi piped up, giggling, "He's _soo_ mysterious," many of the other girls in the class nodded in agreement. _What, so wearing a stupid mask automatically makes you mysterious and alluring? Honestly, these kids are what, ten? They shouldn't even be having crushes on each other yet, much less a man fifteen years older than they are._ That's when I heard footsteps outside the door.

"Alright, kids," I clapped my hands together, "It sounds like our guest has arrived. Please, keep yourselves on your best behavior and listen closely to what they have to say. If anyone says anything rude I won't hesitate to keep you in detention." Several students shuddered at the word and the door slid open. My worst nightmare appeared.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Konohamaru exclaimed brightly and the man held up his fingers in a peace sign.

"Yo." In his other hand was his signature orange book and my eyes just about bulged out. He was reading erotica here? In front of _children_? How much more inappropriate could you possibly get? I gritted my teeth, forcing a smile onto my face.

"Kakashi-sensei," I greeted him, "Welcome to our class. Everyone, say good morning."

"Good morning, Kakashi-sensei," the class repeated with much more zeal than they did when greeting me. Not that I was bothered by it or anything. The white haired man simply grunted in return and turned to me.

"Shall we get going then?"

"Of course. To the training grounds, kids – Konohamaru slow down! No running! That means you too, Katsumi!" I rolled my eyes, giving up as the tide of children swept past me out the door.

"Rambunctious little things, aren't they?" Kakashi commented.

"You should see them at their worst."

"I think I'll pass on that one."

I couldn't help but laugh shortly. "I don't blame you there." The day had certainly gotten hotter very quickly and it was evident as we stepped outside. The kids wouldn't last long in this weather, that was for sure. _On the bright side, they'll get worn out quickly and will be much less work to deal with._ The thought put me back in my former state of good cheer. The rest of the morning was spent in the way I loved most, teaching the kids and listening to them laugh as they enjoyed themselves learning. Of course Kakashi appeared as neutral as he always did so I couldn't get so much as a hint as to what he was feeling, but after this morning I was certain there was something going on behind that mask. The question was, what? I frowned suddenly. _And why do I care?_

"Iruka-sensei," Udon tugged on my sleeve, "Isn't it lunch time?" I glanced at the large clock on the wall and smiled down at the boy.

"It certainly is." Kakashi fell into step with me as we made our way back to the academy building.

"They're certainly eager to learn, aren't they?" He observed and I couldn't help but smile as I watched the little bundles of energy make their way forwards.

"That's part of what I love about this job," I replied honestly.

"It helps to know that they'll never be as bad as Naruto, huh?"

"Yeah," I agreed, frowning slightly. The words sounded strangely familiar.

Kakashi's book was back out and his eye was flickering back and forth across the page. "You're quite fond of him though, aren't you? You think of him as a son, wasn't it?"

I gasped, my eyes widening as I placed the familiarity. "You bastard!" I hissed, "You were listening?"

"It was rather hard not to. You were speaking aloud, after all."

"That was a _private_ conversation!"

"Conversation? All I could see was you talking at a rock."

I clenched my fists furiously. "You wouldn't understand, you prick." Honestly I didn't give a damn at the moment if he was my superior. It was a major invasion of privacy.

The man simply shrugged. "Let's just call it making up for a similar intrusion on your part." I treated him with icy silence for the rest of the day, my good mood completely ruined and the only thoughts on my mind thoughts of revenge against Hatake Kakashi. I had completely forgotten about my plans for the evening when I heard a familiar voice call my name.

"Iruka-sensei! Hey, Iruka-sensei, wait up!" I turned to see bright orange topped with yellow running towards me and couldn't help the smile that curved my lips.

"Naruto," I greeted the boy, "How are you?"

"Fantastic!" He exclaimed, "Want to know why?"

"Do tell."

"'Cause I'm getting treated to free ramen tonight!" He let out a loud cheer that drew the attention of all those around us on the busy street. I laughed deeply and genuinely.

"Calm down, Naruto, you're causing a commotion."

"Who cares? Let the world know that Iruka-sensei is the number one ninja in all of Konoha! He can always be counted on for ramen!"

"I don't know about always, there's only so much of your appetite my wallet can take."

He favored me with one of his signature grins. "Well what are we waiting for! It's time to eat!"

The sheer amount the blonde kid could eat never ceased to amaze me and I paid the bill with a wince. Afterwards as the two of us walked down the street completely stuffed, Naruto spoke up, a rarely serious note in his voice.

"Iruka-sensei,"

"Yes Naruto?"

"Do you have a girlfriend?"

I turned to give him a strange look. "I hardly see how that's any of your business."

"Aww, come on sensei, it's not like I'm your student anymore! You can tell me!"

I sighed. "No, Naruto, I do not have a girlfriend."

"Ohh," his eyes widened, "I see. Well do you have a boyfriend then?"

"Naruto!" I exclaimed, shocked, "Just because I don't have a girlfriend does not mean I'm…I'm…"

"Gay?" I blushed furiously. "Hey, it's not that big a deal, sensei. Plenty of ninjas in the village are bent, you don't have to be embarrassed. Believe it!"

"I am not gay!" I protested, flustered at being completely caught off guard, "And this is hardly an appropriate conversation to be having with one of my former students."

The blonde boy shrugged. "Whatever you say, Iruka-sensei."

I let silence take over. Then, "Why do you ask?"

Pink tinged the boy's cheeks. "No reason," he mumbled, looking away.

"It's Sakura, isn't it?" I prodded, grinning, and the blush deepened.

"I don't know what you're talking about!"

"Whatever you say, Naruto. But I bet you're enjoying being on the same team as her, huh?"

"Not since that stupid Sasuke is on it with us," the boy huffed, kicking a pebble on the street.

"Ah." The classic love triangle. Naruto in love with Sakura, Sakura in love with Sasuke, and Sasuke steadfastly uninterested in anyone but himself. "Well," I said brightly, "Maybe one day she'll realize what a catch you are and come running for you."

The boy immediately brightened. "Gee, Iruka-sensei, you really think so?"

"Believe it," I grinned, throwing his catch phrase right back at him.

After dropping Naruto off at his apartment I grumbled the whole way home. First Anko's implications now Naruto was convinced I was gay? Sure, I was slightly more feminine than most guys I knew, but that didn't necessarily mean I was gay. I liked women, after all. There were many that I found quite attractive…I just couldn't think of them at the moment. But I certainly wasn't attracted to men. No way. Imagine what my parents would say. _No, don't imagine that,_ I berated myself, _because you're perfectly straight. There's nothing to worry about._ Right. By the time I dropped off to sleep I had myself thoroughly convinced of that.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hola ****niños! Welcome to chapter 3! Hope you're enjoying the sexual tensión so far, there's more a-comin'! A warning, there aren't that many female shinobi so I decided to create one of my own, hope no one minds. Well enjoy! Reviews are incredibly appreciated, they cause so much inspiration!**

**T – well thank you! I look forward to writing more chapters!**

**Rain on a Window – thank you for the review! I'm glad you're likin it :)**

**Warnings: Nada. This is wholly PG.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. Lame.**

Chapter 3

That night I dreamt of ghosts, chasing, haunting, chilling figures with no substance or base in reality. They were simply silhouettes stalking me and frightening me to the core, bringing with them memories of the past, memories of blood and death that I would prefer to forget. I awoke from my nightmares in a sweat, breathing heavily as if I'd actually been running away from some such creatures. However thankful I was for being brought to reality from the depths of my dreams I realized immediately it was not my doing. There was another presence in my pitch dark room. My body immediately tensed for battle until my eyes adjusted to the light and I recognized a scary looking bird mask.

"What's ANBU doing in my apartment at this time of the morning?" I inquired calmly.

"The Third Hokage has requested your presence, Umino Iruka." They replied simply, and the next second they were gone. I shuddered. They didn't have their intimidating reputation for nothing.

The moment I climbed out of bed my night of restless sleep caught up with me and I yawned deeply, wishing I could crawl back into bed and snooze for another few hours before I had to get up for school. _What could the Hokage possibly want at this ungodly hour? _I wondered as I dressed quickly, tying my hair up and heading for the door. The voice that called for me to enter when I knocked on the door to his office did not belong to the Hokage and I felt a sinking feeling take root in my stomach. _Uh oh._

"Manami," I greeted the female ninja as I entered, taking in her eccentric appearance. The woman had bright turquoise hair cut choppy and short, framing her long, sharply pointed yet beautiful face. Her ensemble consisted of random bits of clothing as brightly colored as her hair and dark markings surrounded her mischievously glinting green eyes. It was a given that wherever the Kunoichi went trouble and chaos were sure to follow. She was seated casually on the Hokage's desk, swinging her legs happily.

"Hello, Iruka!" She grinned, "You look positively exhausted."

"Rough night," I replied shortly then noticed the other person in the room. My mood immediately plummeted. "Hello, Kakashi," I sighed.

He glanced up from his orange book. "Iruka. You're just what I want to see first thing in the morning."

"I'm shocked to see you here already. Isn't it your thing to show up ten minutes _after_ we're supposed to begin?" I retorted, annoyed, and he shrugged.

"What can I say? I decided not to spend as much time on my hair as you do today." He looked back at me neutrally as I glared.

Manami laughed loudly, distracting us both. "My, this is quite the amount of sexual tension the two of you have got built up."

I nearly choked on that one. "Excuse me?"

"Oh, come on, Iruka, don't tell me you're still going around pretending you're straight."

"I am not _pretending_! I have never in my life been attracted to a man!"

"But have you ever been attracted to a woman?"

"Of course I have!"

"Then why haven't you accepted Anko yet? At least you could have agreed by now to have a little fun." She waggled her eyebrows suggestively.

"I would never do something like that! I couldn't lead someone on."

"Who says the physical aspects of you aren't all she's attracted to anyway? It's not as though you're the most intriguing person in the village." I turned to glare at Kakashi who had spoken up.

"At least I have women interested in me instead of spending all my energy on porn."

"Why must young people be so loud in the morning?" A new voice cut in as the door opened and the Hokage stepped in.

I bowed to him. "My apologies, Lord Hokage."

He waved a hand, chuckling. "Iruka, must you always be so formal? I invited you here before the sun's even risen, etiquette is hardly the first thing on my mind."

I blushed slightly, rubbing my neck embarrassedly. "Right. Sorry."

He turned towards Manami and his brows raised. "Nakanishi Manami. You are looking quite…colorful this morning."

The blue haired girl grinned widely. "It's just for you, Sarutobi-sensei!" Her perkiness was almost overwhelming and I swear I heard the man mutter something about morning people under his breath as he made his way around to the seat behind the desk. Manami hopped off and the three of us stood before him.

"Now, I suppose you are all wondering why I have called you to my office at a time like this. I have a mission for you."

"What?" I accidentally blurted out, surprised. I hadn't had a mission since I'd started teaching at the academy.

Sarutobi-sensei treated me with a smile. "I can only hope you haven't gotten rusty with all this time off, Iruka."

"N-no sir, of course not."

He nodded. "Very good. Now, your job is to travel to the Sand Village and escort three participants of the Chunin Exams to Konoha."

I frowned. "Two Chunin and a Jounin for a simple escort mission?"

"They are the three children of the Kazekage."

My eyes widened. "Oh."

"Yes. Sending you three is really more of a political gesture than for the sake of protection. Sending mere Genin would be looked at as an insult to the Kazekage and relations are strained enough already. I apologize that I must send you on such a simple task, Kakashi, but all the other Jounin are either on missions or assisting with preparations for the Chunin Exams."

The white haired man nodded. "I am happy to serve in any way." _Suck up, _I couldn't help but think bitterly.

"Very well. I expect you to leave immediately."

xXx

We traveled for two days straight before stopping for the night at a hot springs inn, all of us wanting to be fully rested before we arrived at the Sand Village in case our greeting was more hostile than we hoped for.

"I'm afraid we only have two one bed rooms remaining," the girl behind the counter told us apologetically and I paled at the implications.

Manami took one room key, giggling. "Have fun sharing a bed, boys. I'm sure you'll find ways to enjoy yourselves."

I blushed furiously, cursing my body for its responses. "Manami, we are not going to…whatever it is you think we're going to do!"

"Your lips say one thing," the woman winked, "But your blush says another." The girl behind the counter was also obviously trying to restrain her giggles and I felt my face grow even warmer. _Damn women!_ Kakashi seemed to be oblivious to this whole exchange, his nose buried in his book, a fact which I was extremely grateful for.

"Whatever," I snapped, grabbing the other key and heading for the room. After depositing my things I made my way downstairs and neatly folded my clothes in the changing room before grabbing a towel and heading for the baths. The hot water was blissful as I eased in, allowing it to consume my body as I closed my eyes and simply floated for a few minutes, steam surrounding me in heavenly warmth. Then I heard the door to the inn slide open as someone silently stepped out into the air and I opened my eyes. It was all I could do not to gasp in astonishment.

Kakashi was beautiful. His entire body was pale and perfectly toned, the broad planes of his chest and abs perfectly chiseled and his limbs long and beautifully lean. His skin looked perfectly soft and inviting and even the vicious scars that marred his body didn't distract from the view. Strangely, I felt what was below the surface of the water twitch in response. Kakashi, the bottom half of his face covered with a towel, turned to me, arching an eyebrow.

"Staring like that isn't convincing anyone you're not gay, Iruka."

I tore my eyes off that perfect body, an enormous blush rising to my face. Again. "I'm not gay," I muttered.

Kakashi sighed as he lowered himself into the hot water, leaning back against the side. "I don't see why you're so defensive about it. I've been open about the fact that I'm bisexual for years to anyone who asks and it feels great." What? Kakashi was bisexual? How had I not known that? _Because you don't care,_ a little voice in my head reminded me.

"First of all," I snapped, "My sexuality is no one else's business. Secondly, I am perfectly straight so there's no news to tell anyone."

The white haired man snorted. "I'm fairly certain your being straight would be a surprise to the vast majority of people." I was getting angrier by the second and Kakashi's brows rose. "My, Iruka. What was the point of coming to a hot spring if you're just going to get riled up about things?"

"This was your idea, you idiot," I snarled, standing and heading for the shore. I made it all the way to the doors before Kakashi called my name.

"Iruka."

I turned annoyedly. "What?"

The man actually winked at me. "Nice ass."

I hurriedly wrapped a towel around my waist, face bright red as I quickly stepped inside, heading for our stupidly shared room. _Damn Kakashi. He thinks he's so brilliant, the cocky little…_I took a deep breath, calming myself. I dealt with obnoxious kids on a daily basis, I shouldn't be so bothered by this. After all Kakashi didn't seem to be much more mature than my students, besides the fact that he read porn. I could deal with this. I had to. Then I looked at the single bed in the room and a malicious smile curved my lips. I was here first, Kakashi could take the floor. I chuckled evilly to myself. _Take that, scarecrow man. _Once I climbed beneath the covers I was out within seconds.

Some amount of time later a movement beside me woke me from deep slumber and I turned over groggily. What I saw immediately woke me up.

"Kakashi!" I exclaimed, bolting up to a sitting position, "What the hell are you doing?"

"What?" He asked innocently from where he laid next to me in the bed, head casually propped up on one hand as he looked up at me with his different colored eyes. "You didn't honestly expect me to sleep on the floor, did you?"

"Actually I did, you – gah!" I noticed that he was wearing nothing but his boxers and a mask. "At least put some clothes on," I demanded, looking away.

"Why? After all, Iruka, since you're perfectly straight it shouldn't bother you being in the same bed with a man, both of us half naked. Unless you're going to confess…"

"I'm not confessing anything," I snarled defensively.

"Right then. Good night." He flipped over so he was facing away from me. I spent a good long while fuming at his back before jerkily laying down and turning away from him. _Damn Kakashi,_ was the last thought in my mind before I drifted off to sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

**Ahoy, mateys! Welcome to chapter four! I'd like to give a big thank you to my friend for proof reading these last couple chapters and spurring me on :) Also, the reviews are fantastic! I love it! Well enjoy :)**

**ADELiNE-fic – haha oh yes, Kakashi's such a lovely pervert X) and thank you very much!**

**Jenibara-sensei – I know right! Poor little Iruka, he gets no mercy(:**

**Rain on a Window – Shanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it, I had so much fun writing.**

**T – Awesome! I'm glad you like her! Thank you :D**

**Annie – I think poor Iruka agrees with you there! But I'm happy you're interested:)**

**Fearth – Your perspective and thoughts are very interesting, I quite like being able to hear them:) Hoorah! I'm glad you approve thus far!**

**Warnings: Some swearing, implications of sex, but that's about it.**

**Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me, 'tis the work of Masashi Kishimoto.**

Chapter 4

I awoke with something incredibly warm pressed against my side and a weight on my chest. Smiling, I snuggled closer to the source of heat, completely comfortable and relaxed, drifting in that state of peace when you wake up and have nothing pressing to get you out of bed. _Since when is my bed this warm?_ I wondered, then memories came filtering back to me. I wasn't at home, I was at an inn with Manami and Kakashi…_Oh, my god._

"Kakashi!" I shouted, leaping out of bed and out from under where his arm had been sprawled across me. He groaned, slowly stretching and rubbing his eyes.

"Hmm?"

"What the hell do you think you were doing?"

He blinked, looking up at me with half lidded eyes. Those eyes were the most relaxed I'd ever seen them, clouded with sleep rather than sharp and predatory as usual and I felt a strange twisting in my stomach. His hair was all mussed up and the mask was slipping dangerously low. _He's so cute!_ My eyes widened as I realized what I'd thought. _Cute? What? No! This is _Kakashi_ we're talking about! He's not _cute_, he's a total prat! And he's a man! What the hell are you thinking?_

"Sleeping," he replied groggily, fixing his mask and slowly pushing himself into a sitting position. His chest and stomach muscles rippled with the action and I was transfixed. Wasn't there a reason I was supposed to be angry? Something to do with…

"You made a move on me!" I remembered, breaking out of my trance.

Kakashi squinted his eyes. "Did I really? Were we drunk?"

"No, we were not drunk," I snapped, "We were in bed. Together. And you were _cuddling _with me!"

"Ah, yes," his eyes lit up, "I remember now." Those eyes crinkled with a smile. "I couldn't help it. You just looked so adorable."

I pointed a shaking finger at him. "You – you – stop it! Don't ever pull something like that again!"

"My, Iruka. I knew you were uptight, but I never thought you'd be a homophobe."

"I am not a _homophobe,_" I snapped, "I have a problem with someone of any gender molesting me while I sleep."

"Oh," his eyes narrowed dangerously, "That wasn't molesting. That was nothing compared to what I could have done."

The blood drained from my face. "D-don't even go there!" I shuddered. "I'm getting dressed. We'll need to leave soon."

"Very well." Amusement still touched his voice and I bit my lip to keep from yelling at him again and instead resigned to glaring at him as we got ready to go. Glaring as he pulled on his pants and a second mask attatched to a tank top, his muscles stretching as he did so, his body moving oh so gracefully…

I nearly slapped myself. _Snap out of it, Iruka. At this rate even you'll think you're gay._ Maybe not. One man could appreciate another's beauty, kind of like admiring a well sculpted statue, appreciating it as a work of art. Yes. That's exactly what it was. My body looked nowhere near anything like that, so it was only natural that I could observe what I would like to look like. Then why, when he handed my pack of ninja tools to me did the brief contact of his fingers with mine send shivers down my spine?

I forced all such thoughts from my mind as we went downstairs to meet Manami, who was waiting for us with a knowing look in her eye.

"Hello, boys," she greeted us, "Have a good night?"

"No," I snapped.

"Yes," Kakashi said brightly at the same time. He glanced at me and I glared at him. Manami giggled.

"What's so funny?" I demanded crossly. I felt like I was constantly in a bad mood these days.

"Oh, nothing," she sang, then paused. "Could you two promise me, if you ever do get down to business, that you'll let me watch at least once?"

I gaped at her in shock, immediately turning red.

Kakashi just nodded. "Of course. Perhaps you could even join us."

I turned to gape at him instead.

Manami jumped and clapped her hands together. "Yay! Threeway, threeway!" As she drew stares from those around us I only wanted to sink into the ground and die of embarrassment.

Kakashi clapped me on the back. "Cheer up, Iruka. It'll only hurt the first few times."

xXx

The walls of the Sand Village stretched up before us, bold and intimidating against the skyline and I couldn't help but feel they were full of ominous foreboding. _Don't be ridiculous, Iruka. This is a peace gesture. They're expecting you, nothing bad is going to happen._ The second we reached the gap between the walls a man dropped down before us clad in standard Sand shinobi uniform.

I stepped forward. "We are here to escort the children of the Kazekage to the Chunin Exams."

His eyes narrowed. "What makes you think our Genin need help from your lot?"

I frowned. "The fact that your Kazekage requested our presence. Now let us through."

"As if I'd let through a bunch of Leaf pricks like you."

"Looks like he's as dumb as he is ugly," Manami commented casually and the man reddened furiously.

"What did you just say, bitch?"

She stepped forward threateningly. "You heard me, jackass." Their hands both went to their kunai pouches and they drew their weapons simultaneously, about to leap at one another when a new voice rang out.

"That's enough." The Sand shinobi froze completely at the sound, paling dramatically. I squinted my eyes and saw three figures emerging from shadow, a small redheaded boy flanked by a blonde and a tall hooded boy with purple markings on his face. "We are supposed to meet three Leaf shinobi at the entrance to the village today and kill anyone who is causing them issues that could affect our peace with the Leaf Village. Are you causing issues?" The red haired boy spoke completely monotone but it still managed to make my blood run cold.

"N-no!" The offending ninja stammered, whirling around and bowing, "Of course not, Gaara."

Gaara's dark rimmed eyes narrowed. "I don't believe you."

"He's right, you know. We were just having a bit of friendly conversation." I looked thankfully at Kakashi; I wasn't sure what would have happened had we let the boy do what he was going to, but I was certain it would be messy. The redhead turned that chilling gaze to the white haired man. He regarded him for a long moment before he nodded.

"Let's go then. I'd like to get these exams over with." _Cocky little thing, isn't he?_ As if reading my mind his turquoise eyes shifted in my direction and I felt a chill shoot through my body. Those were the eyes of a killer.

I cleared my throat. "Right. Good idea." And so we set off with the three sand siblings. Nothing happened until that night when we stopped to rest.

"So," Manami began, "Is it normal for you boys in sand to wear makeup?" I nearly dropped the kunai I was sharpening in surprise. What was she thinking? Was she completely oblivious to the redhead's fear factor? Even Kakashi glanced up from his book at her.

"Manami," he said placatingly.

"Don't," the boy in the hood cut him off, his eyes narrowing as he turned to the woman. "It is, in fact. We like to be prettier than blue haired bitches from the Leaf."

She snorted derisively. "And I thought 'Ruka was bent. You have a boyfriend then, ginger?" She asked Gaara.

He stared at her for a moment before standing. "You are going to die," he said simply.

Manami grinned. "Isn't that cute. The little Genin thinks he can take me." The strangest thing began to happen then. Sand started to filter out of the enormous gourd on the boy's back and hover in a cloud around him.

"Gaara," his blonde sister said, concern in her voice, "Don't."

"There is no point to her existence, Temari."

"If you display your powers now it will give the Leaf an advantage in the Chunin exams." The sand paused in its shifting motion, but suddenly Kakashi dropped his book, leaping behind Manami and an incredibly audible crunch was heard.

"Fucking bastard," the boy with purple markings snarled as we all turned to see Kakashi with his arm around the neck of what looked like a giant wooden doll nearly broken in half. "That's going to take me days to fix!"

"Then perhaps you shouldn't attack my comrades with it while their backs are turned," the white haired man replied coolly, throwing what I realized was a giant puppet towards the boy who caught it angrily. "There is no sense in us causing conflict between one another. Manami, apologize to the boys."

She stuck her lower lip out in a pout. "Do I have to?" Kakashi simply glared at her and she sighed. "Fine. I'm sure you're perfectly heterosexual young men who love having lots of hot, steamy sex with women." She turned to Kakashi. "Better?"

He sighed deeply, putting a hand to his head. "It'll have to do."

"How did you know?" The purple marked boy demanded of Kakashi.

"The bundle you'd been carrying was suddenly gone from your back. I checked with this eye," he tapped the headband where it covered his Sharingan, "And saw the chakra threads. Very impressive, I've heard of the Sand Village's puppetmasters but never had the opportunity to meet one. What was your name?"

"Kankuro," the boy said shortly. "Who are you?"

Kakashi's eye curved in a smile. "Hatake Kakashi. It's a pleasure."

Their eyes all widened at the name. "Hatake Kakashi, the copy ninja," Temari said, "I've heard of you."

"Good things, I hope," the white haired man said, going back to where his precious book was, picking it up and carefully dusting it off, examining it for further damage.

"Killing you might be more challenging than others." Everyone stopped and looked to the redheaded boy, tension rising. Luckily Kakashi just smiled again.

"I'll take that as a compliment."

Thankfully the rest of the journey to the Leaf Village passed uneventfully and we parted from the three peacefully. And in my case, extremely relieved. As the three of us were exiting the Hokage's office after debriefing we were met by a grinning Asuma.

"Kakashi, Iruka!" He exclaimed brightly, "Welcome back! Just in time, too. A few of us are gathering tonight for a few drinks in celebration of the rookies' official acceptance to the Chunin exams, it would be great if you came."

"I've got papers to – " I began to say but Kakashi cut me off.

"We would love to," he replied happily.

"Great," Asuma clapped his hands together, "See you tonight then!"

As soon as he disappeared from sight I whirled on Kakashi. "What the hell?"

"Come on, Iruka, live a little. Get drunk. Have sex. You'll die miserable if all you ever do is sleep and teach a bunch of snot nosed kids. Well, now that we're back I'm off to get the new edition of _Icha Icha Paradise._ The ending to this one was a terrible cliffhanger, you see the main character revealed that he used to be a woman and – "

"I don't want to know," I snapped.

"Alright then." He waved a hand. "Later." And he disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving me fuming about my plans for the night. Again, I was left alone mentally cursing the perverted white haired man.


	5. Chapter 5

**Yeah, so, umm, hi guys! It's been a while. Sorry about that. Lots of crazy shinanigans have been going down in my life and I just didn't have the time or energy or motivation to write for a long time. But the perfect love between Kakashi and Iruka drew me back and I couldn't help it. I've returned to the world of fanfiction. In celebration, let there be reviews! And ice cream. Ice cream is good. And meatballs. I really like those. Huzzah!**

**Disclaimer: Naruto's not mine and all that. As I'm sure you know without me even telling you.**

**Warning: nom nom nom nom LIME! Well I don't think there's a set definition for lime so I'm classifying it as everything up to the act of fornication itself. So on a scale of lime to LIMEDY LIME TIME this chapter stays closer to lime. By which I mean mild. Enjoy!**

That night I showed up reluctant and late. By the time I got there Kakashi and Guy were already in the middle of a drinking game, the latter's face flushed pink. I winced at the thought of how much liquor the two 'rivals' had already consumed.

"It is the champion of youth who can hold the most alcohol!" The man with the bowl cut was exclaiming, "Who will be the champion between us, Kakashi?"

"Just shut up and drink, Guy," Kakashi replied calmly, picking up another glass of sake. He didn't sound any different than usual. _Looks like he can hold his liquor quite well. I wonder if he drinks often…_There were already two large empty bottles beside each contestant and they were pouring liquid from a third. Guy's hand was beginning to shake and he swayed precariously on his stool. I wasn't the only one to notice.

"I have a feeling this isn't going to last much longer," Asuma said, stepping up next to me, "Guy's reaching his limit."

I looked up at the large man. "What about Kakashi? Hasn't he drunk just as much?"

Asuma chuckled, shaking his head. "That man has a lot of stamina built up. Makes sense, he does have a fair amount to drink about."

That piqued my curiosity. "What do you mean?"

He shook his head. "It's not my business to tell."

"But – "

"Looks like we've got a winner!" Someone exclaimed and I looked up to see Guy had finally fallen to the floor, passed out. The group that had gathered applauded and cheered for Kakashi who merely raised a hand in recognition before grabbing another full bottle and stumbling across the room to a dark corner.

"Iruka!" I heard my name called and turned to see Kamizuki Izumo hailing me from one end of the bar, his ever present counterpart seated next to him. I brightened at seeing friendly and familiar faces and moved to join them.

"Hey guys," I greeted them, taking a seat next to them.

"I can't believe you only caught the tail end of that," Kotetsu grinned, "It was hilarious. Guy was spouting 'Fire of Youth' shit the entire time and Kakashi just stared him down and beat him."

"Those two are an endless source of entertainment," Izumo agreed, taking a sip from the glass before him.

I laughed. "Yeah. They're almost as bad as Naruto and Sasuke, if you ask me."

"Who's as bad as Naruto and Sasuke?" A dangerous voice asked right in my ear and I jumped, my drink spurting out of my mouth in surprise.

"Ka – Kakashi!" I exclaimed, turning to greet him, but he ignored me, calling out to the bartender.

"Another bottle, please." Then he paused, glancing back at me. "Make that two." The man behind the counter obediently handed the drinks over and to my utter surprise, Kakashi looped his arm over my shoulders. "C'mon, Iruka. You're not nearly as drunk as you should be." My eyes widened and I looked towards Kotetsu and Izumo pleadingly but the two only smirked.

"Have fun, boys!" Kotetsu waved cheerily and I was pulled towards the farthest table from everyone, hidden in the corner. The following situation can only be described as incredibly awkward on my part. Kakashi didn't say a word yet commenced drinking. In the end, both the bottles were downed by him alone with the exception of the single small glass I nursed throughout the whole time. Partway through the second he began humming. At first I thought I was hearing things, but sure enough the man was quietly humming an unfamiliar tune. As he continued to down alcohol the melody only grew louder and I began to feel increasingly uncomfortable, somehow feeling that I was witnessing a very personal situation that I shouldn't be.

"Oi, Iruka!" I looked up to see Azuma hulking over our table, a half empty mug of beer in one hand, "How much did you let him drink?"

"I think this is his fourth bottle. He's humming."

"Eh?" The large man's eyes widened. "Humming? Shit, you'd better get him home. If I remember correctly about a bottle after he starts that he collapses, and that'll just be a pain in the ass for everyone here."

I frowned. "If you remember correctly? Did you two used to drink together?"

He scratched his head. "I wouldn't say that. There was a while when this guy was a real drunkard so a couple of us had to take turns getting him home so he wouldn't – ah!" He seemed to catch himself before spilling something important. "Well, you'd best get him home. Good luck!"

"Wha – why me?" I demanded, but Azuma had already returned to his table, leaning on Kurenai drunkenly. I gritted my teeth. "Damnit. Alright, Kakashi, time to go."

"No. I want to drink more."

"Fine. I'll order you another bottle and you can drink it when you get home, alright?"

"Okay!" The man agreed a bit too happily. He wasn't staggering too badly as we made our way out of the restaurant but as soon as we were outside he all but collapsed onto me. I was so startled I dropped the promised bottle of sake and it shattered on the street.

"You smell good," Kakashi stated as he hung off me like a corpse, arms wrapped around my neck from behind.

"Yeahp," I grunted, "It's definitely time to get you home."

The man actually giggled. "You're going to make a great mother someday, Iruka."

I frowned. "Kakashi, you know I'm a man, right?"

"No! But you have such pretty hair!" I held back a groan as I realized I had no idea where the man lived and he was hardly in a state to tell me.

"Looks like you're sleeping on my couch tonight," I muttered, repositioning his arm and setting off through the streets of Konoha. Luckily my apartment wasn't far away and I was struggling up the stairs under his added weight in no time. He was humming loudly again, a surprisingly pleasant sound as I unlocked the door and flicked on the light. His voice was naturally deep and the warm tune was strangely comforting.

"Here you go," I said, preparing to lower him onto my sky blue couch, but unfortunately he chose that moment to stumble, ending up in the two of us toppling onto the couch together, him laying on top of me. In the process his headband had slipped off and I was left staring into his mismatched eyes mere inches away from mine. The giggly, humming mess suddenly became very serious as he looked back into my eyes and I felt my body began to react from the way he was pressed against me, tingles sparking over my skin and my heart began to pound as his hand strayed upwards. To my relief – or disappointment? – all he did was reach up to my hair and pull loose the band that held it in place. I felt my silky locks fall, splaying around my head. The corners of his eyes crinkled in a smile.

"You're so pretty with your hair down, Iruka," he murmured, voice sounding oddly sober. I could feel his hot breath through the mask, brushing my lips with every word and suppressed a shudder, my brain beginning to lose function. It seemed like there was something wrong with this situation, something I should be protesting to, but I couldn't seem to think of it at the moment. "And you have awfully nice lips," he added.

Then he kissed me.

The slight contact of our lips brushing sent a jolt through me as if I'd been shocked with a thousand volts, coursing through me and setting my heart to hammering even faster. His lips were soft and full, sweet and perfect as they melted into mine. As drunk as he was, the kiss never became sloppy or overly intrusive, perfectly innocent. _If it's so innocent why are my pants suddenly feeling rather tight? _The thought shocked me out of whatever stupor I'd fallen into and I immediately pushed Kakashi off me, jumping up and running into my room, shutting the door firmly behind me and leaning against it, breathing heavily.

_Oh, my god._

_Oh. My. God._

_Kakashi kissed me._

_He _kissed_ me._

_On the lips._

_And _this _happened! _I looked down and began to hyperventilate. No. This couldn't be happening. I could not be having this reaction to a mere kiss. From a man, no less!

_Calm down, Iruka. Just relax. There must be a perfectly logical explanation to this, just chill out and think._ I took a deep, steadying breath. Well for starters, when was the last time I'd had sex? I winced as I realized I couldn't even remember. _So I'm feeling sexually repressed, that's why I was so easily…well, excited…but the whole man thing._

_Could I be gay? _Was it possible that I'd lived almost twenty three years being attracted to men and not realized it? No, that wasn't it. I wasn't attracted to men, I just seemed to be attracted to Kakashi.

I was attracted to Kakashi.

I groaned, sliding to the floor.

I should have drunk more sake.

xXx

Always the early riser I got up with plenty of time before school, stepping out into my living room in just my underwear, completely forgetting about my little guest. That is until he appeared right behind me in the kitchen, scaring me bad enough that I dropped the milk.

"Shit, Kakashi!" I exclaimed angrily as the white liquid spread across a third of the floor of the tiny room.

He winced, putting his hands to his ears. "Iruka, must you swear so loud?" It was then that I woke up enough to remember the happenings of the previous night. Speech completely failed me then as I simply stared at him. He gave me a strange look. "What is it?"

"N-nothing!" I stammered, quickly turning to pull out a rag and beginning to mop up the spilled milk.

"No, let me," he said, bending down to take the rag, his hand briefly touching mine.

"No!" I shouted, a bit too loudly, jumping back. "Ah, no," I repeated, much more calmly, "It's fine. You're the guest."

"I passed out drunk on your couch. That's hardly the mark of a respectful guest. At least let me help you clean up." Gulping, I nodded silently, tossed him another towel and we wiped in silence for a few minutes.

"You look like you could use some coffee," I observed as we finished up. The man did look decidedly pale and sickly.

"I need a dark room with as little noise as possible," he groaned, rubbing his temples. "I'm not as young as I used to be." I felt a wrench of pity for the man. I'd come down with my fair share of horrible hangovers in the past, after all.

"Come on," I said, leading him into my bedroom where I pulled the thick curtains shut, "You can rest in here until you feel better." He nodded, climbing into the bed, then a mischievous smile touched his face and he patted the space next to him.

"Would you like to join me, Iruka?" A furious blush rose to my cheeks as the kiss flashed through my mind with unsettling clarity, the feel of his lips against mine and the sense of his intoxicating proximity. I wanted nothing more than to hop right into that bed and snuggle up against him but I restrained myself. He laughed softly. "My apologies. You're extending quite a kindness to me, I promise I won't make a move on you."

"Another move, you mean."

"I'd hardly say that counts as making a move."

I stared at him. "What are you talking about?"

He rolled his eyes. "Oh, come on, Iruka, I was sleeping, I didn't consciously snuggle with you."

I blinked. "No, I'm talking about…" My eyes widened. "Oh, my god. You don't remember."

He frowned. "Remember what?"

"Nothing," I said hurriedly, "It's nothing." I turned to leave the room but a warm hand wrapped around my wrist and pulled me back gently.

"Iruka," those stunning eyes looked beseechingly into mine, "What are you talking about?"

"I – I have to get to school. I'm guessing you won't be here when I get back so I'll see you around."

His eyes narrowed. "It's Saturday."

I blinked. "Oh. W-well I still have things to do. Bye." With that I quickly pulled my arm from his grip and hurried out of my apartment.

He didn't remember. We kissed and he didn't remember. This was perfect. Now we could go on as if it never happened, we didn't have to talk about it, we didn't even have to acknowledge it. _I _didn't have to acknowledge it. I could simply go on living my life without Kakashi as I had for so many years, knowing him only as a vague existence above me in rank. We could be mere acquaintances that simply nodded to one another in greeting when passing each other on the street. Things would go back to normal.

Well if normal was so good, why did I suddenly feel horribly sick at the thought?

**Hopefully this chapter was up to scratch, it was the first one coming back after a looong break with hardly any exposure to literature of any kind. Yuck. Life without reading and writing is an empty one. But anyhoo. Reviews, pretty please! Good or bad, I'll take them all!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Heart's Promise – Oh, yeah. And what do you think he was doing alone in Iruka's bed all day? ;)**

**Sabaku no Keiko – Your wish is my command, my lovely darling!**

**megane 77 – I'm trying, I promise! I greatly appreciate your interest kind person.**

**Genoveve – Ehehehehehe. I doubt anyone would complain if Iruka walked around in his underwear. I certainly wouldn't ;) But yeah, I should probably do something about that situation….and I will…eventually….and thank you beautiful for the lovely words(:**

**Fearth – So glad I'm meeting your approval, and I'm glad you're back! Your reviews are great, constructive criticism is always helpful. As is constructive praise. Hehe. Much love to you and your support!**

**ALRIGHT KIDDIES. I'M BACK. I hope you all are enjoying my story as much as I am enjoying writing it. Sorry updates are taking so long, I keep getting distracted by my book….yes, I'm writing a book. Well, actually I have finished my book and am a third of the way through the sequel. WHEEE. Anyway, this chapter has a bit of angst, but don't worry. I'm really not a fan of angst so it won't last long. Probably. Maybe. Who knows, this is as far as I've written thus far. For all I know in the next chapter I could turn Iruka into a tapdancing hippopotamus. Unlikely, but possible.**

**Warnings:**** Nuttin to speak of. These kids are quite well behaved. For now.**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own Naruto. I do, however, own a lot of stuffed animals.**

**Reviews are much appreciated. MUCHO.**

"Aw yeah, the first round of the exams was a breeze, I never doubted for a second we'd get through," Naruto drawled as we made our way down the street towards his favorite restaurant.

I laughed. "Is that so? Funny, that's not how Sasuke told it."

The boy immediately reddened. "Well Sasuke's a prick! Don't listen to what he says, he was probably scared the whole time. I bet he didn't even get one question right." He crossed his arms, huffing. _From what I hear, it was the other way around,_ I thought amusedly, but didn't say anything. We were out to celebrate, after all, there was no point in dampening the mood. However I couldn't help but be slightly low in spirit. Tomorrow was the beginning of the second round, five days in the dangerous forest with no one but their teammates to count on, fighting against other teams more powerful than they were for survival. The three from Sand immediately came to mind and I repressed a shudder. How could Naruto possibly be strong enough at his age to take them?

"Iruka-sensei?" The blonde's voice startled me from my thoughts.

"Yes, Naruto?"

"You looked really zoned. Were you thinking about your boyfriend?"

"For the last time, Naruto, I do not have a boyfriend!" I all but shouted and he raised his hands in surrender.

"Alright sensei, no need to yell!"

I sighed. "Let's just eat, shall we?"

"Yeah! Ramen, ramen, ramen!" He cheered with excitement as we ducked under the flaps and entered the small restaurant. My eyes immediately went to its one other inhabitant. _Oh, shit. Kakashi._ What the hell was going on? A week ago it was normal for me to come across Kakashi perhaps once every few months, now I seemed to be running into him everywhere I went. Luckily he didn't acknowledge my presence this time, simply continued to read his book, this one with a bright red cover. _He must have gotten that new one he was talking about,_ I thought idly as I took a seat next to Naruto. The boy chatted away avidly as we ate, barely giving me room to get a word in and I half paid attention, my eyes constantly drifting towards the white haired Jounin at the other end of the counter.

_He doesn't remember. How could he not remember? Well, granted he was really, really drunk, but still. The kiss…it was so…perfect._ I was still battling with acceptance of the fact that I really was attracted to Kakashi, but I thought I was taking it surprisingly well. _There's really no use denying it, after all. And he is a very good looking man, what you can see of him at least, so why not? At least he's not Guy._ The mental image of kissing the man in the green jumpsuit came to me rather suddenly and I just about choked on my noodles. _Oh, god, don't go there Iruka!_ I paused, playing through another scenario. _Now Asuma, on the other hand, Asuma I could live with kissing. Or Izumo…_My eyes widened. _What am I doing? I've accepted that I'm drawn to Kakashi, but that's it! I'm not attracted to men in general, Kakashi's the exception! _

We finished up and I walked Naruto home. The second he was inside I looked around.

"You can come out now," I called, "I've known you were there for a good ten minutes."

A figure dropped to the street in front of me and straightened. "Very good, Iruka," Kakashi congratulated me, "You have excellent senses."

I sighed deeply. "What do you want?" The fact that I was such an early riser mandated that I went to bed quite early and my bedtime was fast approaching. When I was tired my patience tended to run thin. This man had caused me enough stress already, I didn't need him following me around.

"May I walk you home?" He asked, and I was immediately struck with the humor of the situation. Wasn't it the man's job to walk the woman home? Nevertheless I agreed and we set off towards my apartment, both of us silent for several minutes.

"So," I ventured finally, "Is there something you need?"

"I'd like to apologize for my behavior last night." My stomach constricted suddenly. Had he remembered?

"What do you mean?" I asked cautiously.

"I was painfully drunk, it wasn't my intention to get into such a state. I don't like having to depend on other people for anything, and yet you practically carried me home so I'm told. It was horribly irresponsible of me."

I looked at him, surprised. "Kakashi, everyone gets drunk sometimes. Don't worry about it."

"But I've treated you with such contempt, and then you did this for me. It's unfair."

I shrugged uncomfortably. "It's fine. I haven't exactly been that great to you either. Let's call last night the beginning of a truce."

The white haired man nodded. "Good idea. Again, Iruka, thank you."

"Don't mention it." The rest of the walk was passed in silence and I nodded at him as we reached my door.

"Thanks for the company. I'll see you around." I went to open my door.

"Iruka," I turned to meet him and suddenly he was very close, near enough that I could count the lashes on his eye if I'd wanted to. I could feel the heat radiating from his lips as they hovered not far from mine and it was all I could do not to pull down that mask and close that gap to repeat the blissful sensation of last night.

"Y-yes?"

"What happened last night?" He asked quietly, a strange note of urgency in his voice.

"Nothing. Nothing happened last night," I said firmly. I still couldn't believe he couldn't remember. I was even becoming a bit annoyed by it. I had enjoyed it so much and it didn't even exist for him. _It's not his fault,_ I reminded myself, _He was horribly drunk._ But still…

"I don't believe you," he breathed and a shiver ran through me at his low voice. Was it my imagination or had he moved even closer? I fumbled behind me for the doorknob and turned it, quickly stepping back into my apartment.

"Goodnight, Kakashi." With that I closed the door in his face.

xXx

Someone was in that forest with them, someone who wasn't supposed to be. Someone had killed the three dead ninja that had been found that morning and now they were somewhere in there with Naruto. I folded my hands together to keep them from shaking with anxious worry as I looked around the room at the rest of the Jounin and Chunin of the village, called together by the Third Hokage. Kakashi included.

I caught myself staring at the white haired man, a habit I'd picked up that seemed to be turning into a hobby. _No,_ I told myself, _Don't stare. Look anywhere but his face._ My gaze drifted down to the red book in his hand. _No! Not at the porn either, damnit!_ Unfortunately Kakashi chose that moment to look up. His one visible brow arched and he hefted the book.

"Do you want to borrow this?"

I felt the blood rush to my face. "What? No!" He shrugged and turned back to the pages and I forced myself to look away. I was beginning to feel Kakashi had become something of an obsession of mine, from the way he haunted my dreams to the way he pervaded nearly every one of my waking thoughts, frequently in ways that made me blush horribly. It was happening even now as my gaze drifted towards him, eyeing those slender, long fingered hands, imagining what they would feel like running over my body –

"Iruka," I looked up at the sound of my name.

"Anko!" I exclaimed, standing, "You're back!"

She nodded tiredly. "Yeah."

"What's the matter?" I asked, genuinely concerned. The normal bubbly glow that possessed her was missing and she just looked beat down.

"It's Orochimaru. He's the one who was in the forest with them." A chill passed through me.

"Oh, god," I breathed, "Don't tell me you – "

"I tried to kill him. He got away."

Instinctively I pulled her into a hug. "Are you alright?"

She hugged me back tightly. "I will be. Thank you, dolphin." I pulled away and an idea came to me.

"Come out with me tonight," I offered, "I'll take you out to dinner. We'll get nice and drunk, I think both of us need something of a distraction." It had been such a long time since I'd let go and had a good time.

Anko immediately smiled brightly. "That sounds great. Thanks, Iruka." As we sat down I felt eyes on me and glanced at Kakashi. He was staring at me, an indecipherable expression in that eye and I quickly forced myself to look away. _What's that all about?_

xXx

"Asuma and Kurenai!"

"That's not fair," I frowned, "Everyone knows that one!" We had had our dinner and were now back at her place, discussing the love lives of our fellow shinobi.

"Doesn't matter! I still think they're the perfect couple!"

"True," I agreed, then grinned. "What about Guy? Who would he be good with?"

"Hmmm," she thought about it for a moment then lit up. "Manami!" I laughed so hard I nearly fell out of my chair. Well, that could have been the alcohol as well, seeing as there were a fair number of empty sake bottles on the table before us, but still. The couple was just so unbearably wrong.

"Those two are so horribly energetic I don't even want to know what would happen if they clashed," I said and Anko giggled drunkenly.

"Just imagine what would happen in bed!" This time I really did fall out of my chair laughing, laying on the ground and staring at the ceiling when the fit subsided. Even in my drunken stupor Kakashi was beginning to creep into my mind as I lay there. I wondered what he'd be doing if he were here, probably describing in graphic detail just what Guy and Manami would be like in bed and sending the idea to the author of _Icha Icha Paradise._

_I should get drunk with him sometime,_ I decided. After all, he'd only ever seen me as my normal uptight self, maybe it would do some good to relax around the guy. Especially since he seemed to make me so incredibly nervous all the time. I blinked at the ceiling, confused as a sudden weight settled down over my hips. I looked down and my eyes widened at the sight of Anko straddling me.

"What about you, Iruka?" She asked, taking a sip from a new bottle, "Who would you be perfect with?"

"Anko, what are you doing?" She suddenly set the bottle down and leaned forward so she was almost laying on top of me.

"Answering the question," she whispered, and before I could do anything she closed the distance. I won't say it was unpleasant, her lips were nice and supple and though her technique was made slightly sloppy from drinking she still knew what she was doing, but that's all I could say about it. I didn't feel that thrill, that buzzing high I'd gotten from Kakashi. I gently pushed her away.

"I should really get going," I said lamely, not knowing exactly how to diffuse the situation.

"You could stay here, you know," she murmured lowly, eyes full of suggestions.

"That's a bad idea. We're drunk." To my relief she rolled her eyes and climbed off me.

"You're such a prude, 'Ruka." I pushed myself to my feet and stumbled towards the door.

"See you later, Anko." The night air was just chilly enough to make me wish I'd dressed heavier and I barely made it down the stairs of her apartment complex without breaking my neck. There was a figure at the bottom leaning casually against the rail and I immediately recognized it.

"Kakashi," I grinned widely, "Stalking me again?"

He looked up from his book. "You're drunk."

"Lil bit. I took your advice, got drunk, but no sex unfortunately."

His one eyebrow arched. "Anko wasn't willing?"

"Oh, no, she was quite eager for it. Unfortunately she's not my type."

He actually closed his book at that. "Oh? And what is your type?"

I snorted. "Wouldn't you like to know." I stepped past him and began walking – well, stumbling – towards home.

"Why else would I ask?"

I frowned. "Go away Kakashi. I'm mad at you."

"And why is that?"

"Because you're stalking me. In my brain. You won't go away."

"What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean," I snapped, becoming annoyed for no reason, "You and your stupid Kakashi-ness."

"Why Iruka," I could hear the smile in his voice, "Are you saying you can't stop thinking about me? How sweet."

"It's not sweet. It's horrible. I was doing just fine without you and then you came along and poof! I'm confused all the time and everyone thinks I'm gay! Even me!" Oops. That wasn't supposed to come out.

Kakashi froze. "What did you just say?"

I blushed. "Nothing. Go away, Kakashi."

"Iruka, I can't help but feel like I'm missing something here. Something related to the other night."

I laughed shortly. "Yeah, you are."

"Please tell me what happened."

I turned on him. "Sure, why not? Obviously it wasn't _important_ enough for you to remember. You probably do that all the time, it's a normal day in the life of the great Hatake Kakashi." I didn't care that I was being irrational; I was drunk, it was allowed.

"Iruka, you're being rather loud. We should get you home." He reached for me but I pushed his arm away.

"Fuck off. I'm fine." Faster than I could follow the man stepped forward and scooped me up into his arms then leapt for the nearest roof, crossing the village in massive bounds as I clung tight to his chest, nausea clawing at my stomach because of the motion mixed with the alcohol. After what must have been the longest, queasiest ride of my life we arrived at my apartment and he carried me inside, finally setting me down.

"Must you insist on repeatedly destroying my masculinity?" I demanded crossly.

"Sounds like you're sobering up," he observed calmly, and I couldn't help but agree. The cold wind on my face had brought me a little closer to reality.

"Yes. Which means I'm fine. Please leave."

"Iruka," he sounded positively exasperated, "I'm begging you. Tell me exactly what happened. Did we…"

My eyes widened. "What? No! We didn't have sex! God, I don't even know how that would work!"

"I could show you."

That brought me up short. "Uh. What?"

He stepped closer, eyes searching mine. "One of these days I'm going to remember, Iruka." And then he was gone.

What the hell was that?

**HOOPLAH. Thank you all for reading to this point. You are all my heroes. Along with Scarlett Johansson. And Queen Elizabeth I. She was an impressive woman. Anyhoo. I know I keep reiterating this, but REVIEWS do make me unbelievably happy. Like honestly. I love hearing what people think, whether it's good, bad, horse shaped, whatever. So please, give me the gift of your wonderful words.**


	7. Chapter 7

**HELLO THERE. So it's been about a month and a half since I last updated, I apologize for the delay. I've been suffering an unimaginable amount of writers block in everything that I'm working on and it's not okay. But I hope this will do! It may not be the best chapter yet, and for that I apologize, It's like 4 am when I'm posting this so there's probably some editing things I'm missing, but if I don't do this now it's not going to happen for ages. So anyway. REVIEWS. Constructive criticism is always welcome here, so shoot away! I won't be offended. Now here you are, chapter 7!**

**Litny – WHEEEEE *hands you all the ice cream you could possibly handle* I like you. And I'm glad you appreciate a bit of drunken Iruka rage, I like when he tries to yell at people cause he's just such a sweetie you just want to hug him. Heheh. Thank you very much for the multiple reviews you've given me, by the way!**

**Guest – Well there's two of you, so thank you both! And to one of you, oh yes, I'm quite the fan of cliffhangers. Just to torment you. Ehehehehe.**

**Heart's Promise – I know right? Kakashi's a sneaky little bastard :) And your wish is my command! Kissing ahoy!**

**Maxine101 – ME TOO. It drives me crazy when writers mix up their words and punctuation and asdfjkldgoinvkjsld. Too distracting. So thank you very much, I'm glad I meet your approval;)**

**Raphi-girl – WELCOME TO THE DARK SIDE. My discovery of yaoi is fairly recent, within the past several months…wow, not actually as recent as I thought haha but Naruto was some of the first I got into. Let me tell you, it's still some of my favorite. There's just so many beautiful pairings and some of my favorite OTP's and gahhhhhh. The feels. But YESS. I'm glad this story has gotten you hooked, that makes me incredibly happy, thanks(:**

**Warning: Well, kissing. C'est tout.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto.**

I stared in absolute shock at the scene before me. Naruto, dear little Naruto, the boy I had watched since he was so small, who I had come to care for so very much…he had grown. There was no doubt about it as he stood victorious and panting as his opponent in the third round preliminaries, Kiba, was carried off in a stretcher.

"Has your trust in my judgment improved then, Iruka-sensei?" I jumped at the sudden sound of Kakashi's voice in my ear.

"Kakashi," I sighed, putting a hand over my heart, "I would greatly appreciate it if you would refrain from sneaking up on me like that."

"Don't be silly. It's my duty to keep you on your toes." I bit my lip over a yelp as something – I wonder what – pinched my butt playfully, but when I turned to glare at the man I discovered that he had disappeared.

"Asshole," I muttered. For the past few days since the night that I had been the one to get carried home drunk, Kakashi's manner had changed. He returned to his previous teasing ways, but things were slightly different, rather than being meant as antagonizing his jibes had become much more lighthearted and…flirty. I snorted at that. Kakashi? Flirty? The idea was so completely absurd and ill fitting when paired with the white haired man, and yet strangely accurate.

He was also no longer pushing me for details about the night he couldn't remember. _Could it be that he remembers after all?_ I frowned at the thought. _Perhaps he remembered all along and it simply messing with me, laughing at how worked up I've gotten over a simple kiss…no, Kakashi wouldn't do that. But then again, how do I know what he would or wouldn't do? I barely know the guy._ That fact in itself bothered me immensely. The first man I had ever admitted being attracted to and I knew him about as well as I knew any of the other legendary ninja out there. Which was not at all.

Impressively, I managed to brood about Kakashi throughout the entire rest of the preliminaries, hardly paying any attention to the matches before me. It came as a surprise to me when the rounds ended and I was approached by Asuma.

"Alright, Iruka!" The huge man exclaimed, slapping me on the back with a fair amount more force than he realized, "That's four rookies on to the final round, one of which is mine! This calls for a celebration!"

"Asuma," I replied dryly, "I'm quickly coming to realize that according to you, there's very little that doesn't call for a celebration as long as the celebration includes drinking."

He grinned widely and winked. "The reason for that, my dear Iruka-sensei, is that there is very little in this world that a bit of alcohol can't make at least a bit better." _Or worse,_ I added mentally. "In my opinion, most people don't drink enough."

"And yet if you drank any more, you'd be sweating pure ale." Both of us turned to the newcomer and I had to squint my eyes slightly at the sudden brightness. As usual, Manami was dressed as brilliantly as she possibly could be, looking like a rainbow threw up on her. "So 'Ruka, you aiming for Asuma now?" She grinned slyly and I immediately turned a furious red.

"Manami!" I shouted in protest, but both she and Asuma laughed loudly as the latter patted me on the back again.

"Don't be silly, Manami. I wouldn't want to encroach on another man's territory."

I blinked. "What? Are you talking about me?"

"Well of course! You and…" He frowned, trailing off as he shared a significant glance with Manami. "Wait…you're not – ?"

I gritted my teeth furiously. "I'm not _territory_, and certainly not territory belonging to another man. Whatever notions you've got brewing in your head, dismiss them immediately."

The turquoise haired girl snickered as he coughed awkwardly. "Right. Sorry. See you tonight!"

"Yeah. See you." He walked away before I realized I'd actually agreed to going out. Again. "No wait – damnit!" I hissed, and Manami sighed deeply.

"'Ruka – "

"Don't," I snapped, "I don't want to hear any more gay jokes and implications, I've had just about enough, so please Manami, leave it alone."

"I wasn't going to say anything like that." Her unusually serious tone caught my attention. Even in battle the girl rarely took anything seriously, always mouthing off and laughing at the excitement, so when she sobered it was an occasion to be appreciated. "As much as we all enjoy poking fun at you," she continued, "And as many people secretly think you're gay and slowly reaching the point of coming out, no one means any harm by it."

"Sorry, how many people think this?!"

"You're missing the point."

"Then what exactly is the point?" I demanded, exhasperated.

"The point is, we all love you, 'Ruka. Even the people who barely know you are drawn to you and your innocent charm. You're irresistible in that way, which is probably part of the reason Mizuki hated you so much."

I flinched slightly at the mention of the man who for so long I had thought of as my comrade and friend. "That's all very good to hear, but it doesn't make it any better that everyone is convinced of something that I'm struggling with all my being to come to terms with. Not to mention they've been practically forcing it on me, which isn't helping matters."

"This might sound strange, but I think that's people's way of showing their support. They're saying that they're okay with it…though granted it may not be the best method."

I looked at her wonderingly. "You're not serious."

She shrugged. "Well I can't say I'm for sure right, but that's the way it seems to me." I regarded her silently for a few moments.

"I guess that's…not as bad." I sighed. "Although the fact remains that half the village knew about this before I did."

The familiar mischievous Manami smirk returned. "So that means you're finally admitting it, eh?"

I rolled my eyes. "I don't exactly have much of a choice, especially after what happened with Kakashi – " I nearly clapped a hand over my mouth, suddenly realizing what I'd said.

Manami gasped. "_What?!_ What happened with Kakashi?" She was nearly jumping with excitement and even squealing a little bit. "Oh my god, 'Ruka, what happened?"

"Nothing!" I exclaimed, furiously blushing. "It was nothing! He was drunk and it was an accident – "

She snorted. "I sincerely doubt that, the circumstances may have been accidental, but what did he do? Or," her eyes lit up even further, "What did _you_ do?"

"No!" I said immediately, "He was the one who kissed me!"

"Eh?" She seemed to deflate a bit. "He kissed you? Is that it?"

"That's enough! It was more my reaction than anything else."

"What," she snickered, "You pop a boner?" My blush deepened and she stared at me. "You're kidding. From a _kiss_?"

"It was a good kiss!" I protested and she guffawed with laughter. "Manami," I hissed urgently, "This does not go beyond us. I didn't even mean to tell you anything – would you stop laughing already?"

"Yes, I know," she finally subsided, wiping away tears of mirth, "No worries, my lips are sealed."

"As are mine." We both nearly jumped out of our skin as Kakashi appeared seemingly out of nowhere.

"Shit," was all I could manage. The white haired man smiled brightly with his eye at Manami.

"I'll be borrowing Iruka for a while."

She saluted. "Yes, sir." Then she lowered her voice. "Only, don't get too carried away, he's easily excited, this one." If she hadn't quickly leapt away at that moment I probably would have punched her. I couldn't bring myself to look Kakashi in the eye.

"So…now you know."

"Not here."

"Huh?" I looked up questioningly and he grabbed my hand, pulling me along with him all the way through the building and outside and we set off through the streets. "Umm, Kakashi, you don't need to hold on to my hand…I can follow you on my own."

"Don't be stupid. If I let go you'll probably run away and I'm not in the mood to hunt you down." There was a strange, undefinable note to his voice that made me feel it wasn't a good idea to mess with him and so I allowed myself to be partially dragged across half the village, doing my best to ignore stares until we reached a standard apartment complex and Kakashi led me up to the third floor and into what I assumed was his apartment. He was a bit rough and I rubbed my wrist, annoyed as he finally let go.

"Look, I know you're pissed that I didn't tell you what happened and that I overreacted, I'm sorry for that. It's just that I was so surprised by my own reaction and I guess embarrassed and I thought maybe if you didn't remember then it could be like it never happened but at the same time I didn't want it to be like it never happened and I was just so confused." I realized I was rambling and cut myself off, looking up to see him regarding me stoically with that single gray eye. I sighed deeply. "I've just made a huge fool of myself throughout this whole thing. I'm really sorry. I shouldn't have made such a big deal, after all it was just a kiss."

"Just a kiss?" His tone was edging on angry. Then before I could do anything he lunged for me and his lips were on mine within a millisecond. This kiss was significantly different from the first, his lips were hot and demanding as he gripped my upper arms tightly and pushed me against the door, pressing up against me. The world exploded with heat as his tongue plunged into my mouth, twisting and hotly claiming its territory as it aggressively meshed into mine, his presence a thousand degrees as his body struggled to meet with mine everywhere it could. The sheer passion I felt packed into this simple contact just about melted me and I felt my knees nearly give. Who knows, if he hadn't been holding me so tightly I may have fallen. Finally, when I could go no longer do without air he pulled away, staying close and looking deeply into my eyes.

"There is no such thing as just a kiss, Iruka."

"Ka – Kaka – Ka – Ka – " I couldn't seem to get his name out around my panting. My world was spinning, whether from shock, excitement, overheating, I had no idea, all I knew was that I had never experienced such raw passion in my entire life and my adrenaline was pumping. After a moment I managed to regain myself at least partially. "What…what's the idea here?" I demanded breathlessly.

"Iruka," Kakashi had returned his mask to its normal position but his headband was pushed up so I was able to stare – for the first time – into both his mismatched eyes. I had heard the legends, so I knew that his left eye contained the incredible sharingan, but seeing it in person was a completely different case. As I gazed at that scarred eye only one word came to mind.

"Beautiful," I breathed, and Kakashi paused, blinking.

"What?"

"Ah, sorry. Your eye, it's just I've never seen it before and it's…well, like I said. Beautiful." As if staring at something unexplainable and foreign Kakashi slowly lifted his hand to my cheek, touching it gently. My nerves seemed to be on hyper alert and even the slight contact set my head to buzzing, which was made all the worse when he leaned in and gently kissed me once more, lingering only for a brief moment, but the softness of his lips amazed me yet again.

"That's why," he said simply and I blinked.

"Uh. What now?"

"Iruka," there seemed to be a note of urgency to Kakashi's voice, "I don't just go around kissing people. I don't get intimate unless I feel strongly for the other person, and I don't allow myself to feel strongly for anyone anymore. Becoming emotionally invested in another can only end badly in my experience, so my philosophy is that it's better to end things before they begin. But then you came along and…" He trailed off, shaking his head.

"And what?" I urged gently.

"And you're like no one else I've ever met."

I felt myself blush to the roots of my hair. "Well I don't know about that, I mean – "

"How do you think people usually react, Iruka? When they see this eye?" I shrugged. "They flinch. They turn away at the hideousness or in fear, in disgust. It doesn't matter the situation, whether in battle or if my headband slips around comrades, there's always a reaction no matter how small. I know, because I can see it clearly," he reached up to indicate the red eye.

"But – "

Kakashi held up a hand. "Let me finish. Now, I had never paid much attention to you. You were a chunin, a simple academy teacher, a man known only for his good nature and way with kids. A man of no particular consequence in my eyes. Then, after that morning at the memorial…I began watching you. Before I knew it I was watching you all the time, my eyes would automatically follow you whenever you came near, it became instinct for them to seek you out. And as I watched I began to notice more, notice the little expressions that you manage to cover so well, the little flickers of hurt and sadness as well as the vast pride and love when you look at your students.

You caught my intrigue, and then after that morning I woke up on your couch with no recollection of the previous night my imagination went wild. The look you had on your face when glancing my direction, you were so confused, hurt even and I had no idea why. I was frightened, what if I'd done something to you that I shouldn't have, what if I'd…" He sighed deeply. "I don't know. But then, even stranger the thought occurred to me: why did I care? Why were your emotions suddenly so important to me, why was I feeling so much regret at things I didn't even know if I'd done?"

Our eyes were locked now and I was paralyzed by his intense gaze, emotions stirring within that I had never experienced before in such strength and pressure.

"So," I gulped, "What does this mean?"

His eyes wrinkled softly in what I assumed was a smile as he shook his head slightly. "I wish I knew. This is completely new to me, Iruka, as new to me as it is to you."

I frowned. "What makes you think this is new to me? I've had relationships before."

The white haired man chuckled. "Of course you have. I didn't mean to insult your dignity. But does that mean…we're in a relationship?"

I felt my face heat up. "Umm. I don't know…are we?"

"If you'll have me," he seemed to have gotten even closer without my noticing and I could feel the heat of his skin through his mask on my lips and had to force myself to focus enough to form a coherent answer.

"Y-yeah. I mean I guess – I mean definitely I – " Luckily Kakashi saved me further embarrassment and kissed me again, gently placing his hands on my hips and pulling me close against him. _Oh, yes,_ I thought as I leaned into the contact and wrapped my own arms around his neck, _I could get used to this._

**Well, no cliffhangers this time. Also, sorry if this one is kind of short. But we're getting closer to the hot stuff I promise;) So because of the whole writers block thing, I was wondering if anyone has any ideas for things they'd like to see, situations, people, etc? I'd love to hear your suggestions! As well as your reviews;) I'm a greedy person. And feel no shame. I LOVE YOU. Okay bye!**


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